And there’s one feature in particular that I think all of us have a bit of a love-hate relationship with: our hair.

Hair comes in a million different textures and colors, and no two heads of hair are alike.

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Lots of us end up entering into complicated relationships with perms and curlers and hair dye, without totally understanding just how cool our hair really is!

That’s why we’re here today with some awesome facts about hair and hair color that you may never have realized.

Scroll through the gallery below to learn more about your hair, and its cool history!

Céline Haeberly for LittleThings

There are four widely recognized hair colors: red, blonde, brown, and black, but many people don’t realize that hair that appears to be pure black is actually the darkest shade of brunette.

These three hair tones have been supplemented for years by hair dyes that help turn the hair into colors that don’t develop naturally, like the deep purple-red of henna, or the current craze for pastel purples and blues.

As hair ages, the color fades, and the hair naturally becomes either gray or white.

Céline Haeberly for LittleThings

They say that “blondes have more fun,” but there’s a lot more to this hair color than that stereotype.

For example, did you know that people with naturally blonde hair have more strands of hair on their heads? Blonde hair strands are thinner than other hair colors, so the scalp can accommodate more hair.

Also, we all know that there’s currently a trend for hair that’s bleached very light, but the vogue for blonde hair has been cycling through for centuries —even the ancient Romans and Celts seem to have embraced the fad at different points.

Céline Haeberly for LittleThings

Brunette hair is the most common hair shade in the world, with more than 90 percent of the population identifying as brunette.

Still, it’s hardly a catch-all term; brown hair comes in so many different shades and variations that we could be here all day debating the difference between auburn brown and chestnut brown.

Interestingly, brunettes have historically been considered less flighty than redheads and blondes. Charles Darwin even once conducted a study to see whether brown hair was more common because brunette women were more likely to settle down and marry.

Céline Haeberly for LittleThings

Red hair is, by far, the world’s rarest hair color, and there is even a persistent rumor that red hair is going extinct — but don’t worry, this myth has no basis in science.

What is true is that redheads make up just 1 percent of the world’s population, and are found overwhelmingly in Northern Europe, with the highest concentrations in Scotland and Ireland.

Despite the popular assumption that red hair comes solely Northern Europe, naturally occurring red hair also historically shows up in Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Northern Asia.

Céline Haeberly for LittleThings

Redheads are often stereotyped as stubborn, which may be linked to a particular quality of their hair. Red hair doesn’t go gray easily, and the strands of hair hang onto the color for a long time, even if it becomes slightly faded.

Meanwhile, blonde hair has a tendency to going slightly yellow or brassy as it grays.

Brunettes go gray at all different rates, but brunettes with especially dark hair might be more likely to go “salt-and-pepper” early, possibly for the simple reason that the silver strands are more visible in darker hair.

Céline Haeberly for LittleThings

In addition to all of the fascinating tidbits about hair color, hair as a substance is truly incredible!

For example, on average, every person grows just under 600 miles of hair in a lifetime. In other words, you could theoretically have a ponytail stretching from Philadelphia to Detroit.

Even more impressive, hair is incredibly strong stuff. With just the hair on your head right now, you have the potential tensile strength to lift two elephants!

Pretty incredible, right? For more fascinating hair facts, make sure to check out the video below, and don’t forget to SHARE this cool hair trivia with friends and family!